BELTON, Mo — A train crash in Cass County sent three people to the hospital Tuesday afternoon.
A tractor-trailer with six people inside got stuck on the track minutes before an on-coming train collided into it.
“It just exploded, stuff went everywhere,” said Karen Templeton, who lives next to the railroad crossing where it happened. “I was flabbergasted that there was a whole crew of people that were hurt.”
Templeton was on her way back from work when she spotted an 18-wheeler stuck on the track. She rushed over to find the family sitting inside the cab of the truck.
“'Call somebody,' I said, because if you don’t, trains come through here constantly," Templeton said. "I said you’re gonna get hit."
Within a mater of minutes, she heard the impact.
“As I was dialing 911, I came out the backdoor and he was out here screaming frantic, jumping up and down,” Templeton said. “I’m sure it scared the bejesus out of them.”
Templeton says even though it would be a huge project, she would like to see the hump taken down. Cars and trucks fly through it all the time and even go airborne.
Not only is it dangerous, but it has also caused property damage. One time, a vehicle was crossing over so fast that it ended up skidding through her front yard.
“That’s kind of why we put up those rock pillars along the road over there,” Templeton said.
If nothing else, she wants to see the signs placed way in advance so that vehicles have the option to turn around.
There are signs on both sides of the track right now, about 36 yards away from the crossing, but it is simply not enough.
“People are either ignoring the signs, or they don’t see the signs, or they see the signs and they’ve already committed to going across the tracks so they just do it,” Templeton said. “To be more forewarned would be maybe helpful to keep you from even turning down this way.”
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